Offered here is a certificate dated December 11, 1875 for five shares of capital stock in the Sharps Rifle Company for one J. Armstrong. The bottom of the certificate is signed by then president E.G. Westcott and secretary W.L. Hubbell. The lower left corner has three men hunting (two of which appear armed with Sharps rifles) with their dog. The upper right has a Union soldier with a rifle and U.S. flag. The back has the transfer information filled out partially for transfer to another person who's name is illegible. The sharps rifle company was founded in October of 1851 by Christian Sharps, Samuel Robbins, and Richard S. Lawrence in Hartford, Connecticut. Though Christian Sharps left the company in 1853 to start Sharps & Hankins, the Sharps Rifle would remain popular with sportsman and target shooters, as well as with the U.S. military seeing use throughout the civil war. In 1876, Sharps would move operations from Hartford to Bridgeport, Connecticut where they would continue production of the ever popular Model 1874. Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company went out of business in 1881 as the repeating rifles of the day began to take over the market and domestic military contracts dried up in the Reconstruction era.

Fine with attractive light aging to the paper and printing. The written ink has faded slightly to a brown/black coloration. The edges of the paper has very slight tearing where creasing has previously occurred. This would make a fantastic display piece in any Sharps rifle collection!